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made our tops heart… shaped of wood； horn or bone。 We whipped them
with a long thong of buckskin。 The handle was a stick about a foot long
and sometimes we whittled the stick to make it spoon…shaped at one end。
We played games with these topstwo to fifty boys at one time。
Each whips his top until it hums； then one takes the lead and the rest fol…
low in a sort of obstacle race。 The top must spin all the way through。
There were bars of snow over which we must pilot our top in the spoon
end of our whip； then again we would toss it in the air on to another open
spot of ice or smooth snow… crust from twenty to fifty paces away。 The
top that holds out the longest is the winner。
Sometimes we played 〃medicine dance。〃 This； to us； was almost what
〃playing church〃 is among white children； but our people seemed to think
it an act of irreverence to imitate these dances； therefore performances of
this kind were always enjoyed in secret。 We used to observe all the im…
portant ceremonies and it required something of an actor to reproduce the
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dramatic features of the dance。 The real dances occupied a day and a
night； and the program was long and varied； so that it was not easy to
execute all the details perfectly； but the Indian children are born imi…
tators。
The boys built an arbor of pine boughs in some out…of…the…way place
and at one end of it was a rude lodge。 This was the medicine lodge or
head… quarters。 All the initiates were there。 At the further end or entrance
were the door…keepers or soldiers； as we called them。 The members of
each lodge entered in a body； standing in single file and facing the
headquarters。 Each stretched out his right hand and a prayer was offered
by the leader； after which they took the places assigned to them。
When the preliminaries had been completed； our leader sounded the
big drum and we all said 〃A…ho…ho…ho！〃 as a sort of amen。 Then the
choir began their song and whenever they ended a verse； we all said again
〃A…ho…ho…ho！〃 At last they struck up the chorus and we all got upon our
feet and began to dance； by simply lifting up one foot and then the other；
with a slight swing to the body。
Each boy was representing or imitating some one of the medicine men。
We painted and decor… ated ourselves just as they did and carried bird or
squirrel skins； or occasionally live birds and chipmunks as our medicine
bags and small white shells or pebbles for medicine charms。
Then the persons to be initiated were brought in and seated； with much
ceremony； upon a blanket or buffalo robe。 Directly in front of them the
ground was levelled smooth and here we laid an old pipe filled with dried
leaves for tobacco。 Around it we placed the variously colored feathers of
the birds we had killed； and cedar and sweet… grass we burned for incense。
Finally those of us who had been selected to per… form this ceremony
stretched out our arms at full length； holding the sacred medicine bags and
aiming them at the new members。 After swinging them four times； we
shot them suddenly forward； but did not let go。 The novices then fell
forward on their faces as if dead。 Quickly a chorus was struck up and we
all joined in a lively dance around the sup… posed bodies。 The girls
covered them up with their blankets； thus burying the dead。 At last we
resurrected them with our charms and led them to their places among the
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audience。 Then came the last general dance and the final feast。
I was often selected as choir…master on these oc… casions； for I had
happened to learn many of the medicine songs and was quite an apt mimic。
My grandmother； who was a noted medicine woman of the Turtle lodge；
on hearing of these sacrilegious acts （as she called them） warned me that if
any of the medicine men should discover them； they would punish me
terribly by shriveling my limbs with slow disease。
Occasionally； we also played 〃white man。〃 Our knowledge of the pale…
face was limited； but we had learned that he brought goods whenever he
came and that our people exchanged furs for his mer… chandise。 We also
knew that his complexion was pale； that he had short hair on his head and
long hair on his face and that he wore coat； trousers； and hat； and did not
patronize blankets in the day… time。 This was the picture we had formed
of the white man。
So we painted two or three of our number with white clay and put on
them birchen hats which we sewed up for the occasion； fastened a piece of
fur to their chins for a beard and altered their cos… tumes as much as lay
within our power。 The white of the birch…bark was made to answer for
their white shirts。 Their merchandise consisted of sand for sugar； wild
beans for coffee； dried leaves for tea； pulverized earth for gun…powder；
pebbles for bullets and clear water for the dangerous 〃spirit water。〃 We
traded for these goods with skins of squirrels； rabbits and small birds。
When we played 〃hunting buffalo〃 we would send a few good runners
off on the open prairie with a supply of meat； then start a few equally swift
boys to chase them and capture the food。 Once we were engaged in this
sport when a real hunt by the men was in progress； yet we did not realize
that it was so near until； in the midst of our play； we saw an immense
buffalo coming at full speed directly toward us。 Our mimic buffalo hunt
turned into a very real buffalo scare。 Fortunately； we were near the edge
of the woods and we soon disappeared among the leaves like a covey of
young prairie…chickens and some hid in the bushes while others took
refuge in tall trees。
We loved to play in the water。 When we had no ponies； we often had
swimming matches of our own and sometimes made rafts with which we
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crossed lakes and rivers。 It was a common thing to 〃duck〃 a young or
timid boy or to carry him into deep water to struggle as best he might。
I remember a perilous ride with a companion on an unmanageable log；
when we were both less than seven years old。 The older boys had put us
on this uncertain bark and pushed us out into the swift current of the river。
I cannot speak for my comrade in distress； but I can say now that I would
rather ride on a swift bronco any day than try to stay on and steady a short
log in a river。 I never knew how we managed to prevent a shipwreck on
that voyage and to reach the shore。
We had many curious wild pets。 There were young foxes； bears；
wolves； raccoons； fawns； buffalo calves and birds of all kinds； tamed by
various boys。 My pets were different at different times； but I particularly
remember one。 I once had a grizzly bear for a pet and so far as he and I
were concerned； our relations were charming and very close。 But I
hardly know whether he made more enemies for me or I for him。 It was
his habit to treat every boy unmercifully who injured me。 He was
despised for his conduct in my interest and I was hated on account of his
interference。
II： My Playmates
CHATANNA was the brother with whom I passed much of my early
childhood。 From the time that I was old enough to play with boys； this
brother was my close companion。 He was a handsome boy； and an
affectionate comrade。 We played together； slept together and ate together；
and as Chatanna was three years the older； I naturally looked up to him as
to a superior。
Oesedah was a beautiful little character。 She was my cousin； and
four years younger than my… self。 Perhaps none of my early playmates
are more vividly remembered than is this little maiden。
The name given her by a noted medicine…man was Makah…oesetopah…
win。 It means The…four… corners…of…the…earth。 As s